Deadlocked
by JammyWammy
Summary: Wanting to forget the past while thinking that she didn't have a place in Cloud's heart, she left just after meteor fall without trace. Four years later, a shocking news about her surfaces all over the planet. Now Cloud's determined to get into the bottom of it, whether she wanted to be found or not. Dark. Violence. OOC. You have been warned.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Completely ignores Advent Children, OOC. Dark. Violence in later chapters. You have been warned.**

 **Prologue**

How did it come to this? In the dead of the night, here I am, trying to get away from it all. Trying to hide from plain sight, I sprint through the dark alleys while doing my best not to stare at the blood in my hands. I clutched my jacket closer to my body to shield myself from the cold air, contemplating what I should have and shouldn't have done, I laugh bitterly as I thought of his pathetic face, his begs and pleads meant nothing to me.

All I wanted was a new life, that's why I left four years ago, I abandoned my ragtag group of friends for something new, completely isolating myself to forget everything I went through. I even changed my name for a while, changed my hair and looks, even my profession, I played the piano in the small bar to entertain guests every single night. I was happy with my new life, away from all the painful memories that I hoped would not surface ever again.

Then I met _him_.

I lifted my hands and stared menacingly at the blood stains all over it. Then I started laughing humorlessly, I have to think of something, they are going to go after me now. I already hear the sirens coming from a distance.

Gods, Aerith, Zack. If you can hear me, please. Keep him safe. Bryce, I promised to protect him, I failed, protect him for me.

I could have sworn I heard a gentle voice, the same familiar voice that belonged to a fallen friend, reassuring me, comforting me, but none of that would help at the moment. I need to go away, I need to disappear.

How did it come to this?

* * *

Cloud stared lazily at the television screen in front of him while he sat on his worn out couch. It has been four years since meteor fall and the city of Midgar was never the same, though a newly developed city was on the edge of the city itself, where survivors are trying to get by, turning their lives back around. And like many others, he was doing things to survive daily, he started doing a freelance delivery service called Strife delivery service, he had purchased the bike he used that he calls Fenrir from the money he had saved up from all the travels they did.

It has also been four years since _she_ had left. And he was never the same since then.

He wondered what went wrong, they were doing alright. They had fought side by side against a mad man he once admired. After everything they had went through together.

She left him. Alone.

He flipped the channels again after snapping out of his thoughts, leaving the news running this time, his eyes landed on the breaking news that was being shown at that moment. And his face changed to absolute horror as he listened to the reporter while that familiar name flashed repeatedly on the screen. His PHS started ringing but he ignored it, his eyes glued to his television screen. A candid photo of a woman with black hair in a bob style with full bangs appeared along with the name. A completely different appearance from how he remembered her.

 _Tifa Lockhart, former member of AVALANCHE, who had helped saved the world from the hands of Sephiroth and the fall of Meteor, who is now known as Tifa Lockhart-Tyrell, is wanted for the murder of her husband, Constance Tyrell, and three year old son, Bryce Tyrell._

Cloud thought he would die right then and there as his breathing had stopped completely.


	2. Monster inside me

**Warning: OOC.**

It was four years ago.

With the Highwind suspended in the air above the wastelands on the outskirts of the fallen city of Midgar, the group of travellers who risked everything to save as much as lives as they can retired for the night, exhausted from the day's events. With the holy power that their fallen friend had bestowed upon them not enough to repel the great power of the black materia, the lifestream wrapped the planet with its own power to save it from its supposed destruction, the meteor that was summoned by the man who was once the subject of great admiration had been destroyed but it didn't mean that everything was better for everyone. The rest of AVALANCHE couldn't bring themselves to smile for they know that there was nothing to celebrate, they just wouldn't dare to, specially when it involved the remembrance of the last Cetra who had met her untimely death.

Tifa looked out from the cockpit window with her face blank from both physical and mental exhaustion, but she felt that sleep was not coming to meet her. She couldn't help but relieve the words Cloud had spoken to her the moment he saved her from her fall within the collapsing core of the Northern crater, just right after Sephiroth's demise.

 _In the promised land... I think I can meet her... There..._

She smiled sadly as she remembered, the pain she felt at that moment was almost unbearable, for that statement alone proved to her that the passionate night they shared before the final battle meant nothing to him when it meant everything to her. She chuckled bitterly when she realized that maybe all he saw were brilliant green eyes and soft chestnut hair with that sweet little voice sighing his name. Even if she had given him her everything, he still never looked at her the way she wanted him to.

She will never win against the flower girl who was the epitome of beauty and perfection.

She had to leave it all behind, she had to let go of all the pain, including the ones from her past that kept haunting her, she knew that she was a strong woman, she had established that within herself a long time ago, she learned to fight instead of waiting for Cloud to be her knight in shining armor, she had done that for a long while, and she can do it again.

Without any regrets of giving herself to the only man she had ever loved, and with the little gil she possessed from the days of their travels, she decided set out to the world, it pains her deeply for not saying a word to the people she had considered family, but she knew it was the right thing to do.

Or so she thought.

* * *

Cloud felt shivers down his spine as he stared at Tifa's photo on his television screen, his phone had been ringing for the past minute but he didn't even have the strength to answer the call, and he knew already that it was from one of his comrades, calling to confirm if he had heard the horrible news.

Tifa. Murder. Husband. Child.

It just didn't make sense to him. Tifa Lockhart was a gentle soul, she was not one to murder anyone let alone her own family. He felt a stab on his chest on that little fact, that she had married someone else and even had a child with him, it pained him. But he shook those thoughts aside to go back to the real story, she was an accused murderer who's on the run and he needed to know the truth, he wouldn't let them have her, he needed to find her and bring her back to his arms where she had belonged in the first place. He slowly looked down at his cell with his face still frozen in shock and disbelief, having trouble grasping the situation, if felt like a nightmare to him, it wasn't real. And with a shaky hand, he lifted his phone up to answer the call. He placed the receiver on his ear but did not speak. He couldn't.

"Cloud!" The frantic voice of Yuffie Kisaragi was on the other line, she let out an anguished sob when the blonde warrior didn't respond. "Cloud, Tifa..."

"We have to find her." He said quietly but firmly, his mouth slightly apart.

"How could this happen?! Do you believe any of this bullshit?! Tifa... She..."

"No, I don't." He said, reassuring the ninja, he knew he had to be calm, Yuffie didn't need any signs of weakness from him, he needed to be the stronger one, like he had always done as the leader of the rebel group.

"I already talked to Reeve and he's given permission to do everything in my power to find her before anyone else does."

Yuffie, being the head of the intelligence of WRO, an organization responsible for world restoration which was led by Reeve Tuesti can certainly do just that. And Reeve himself was risking his position by helping find a criminal to be put into hiding. It was Zack and the Turks all over again, they tried to save the raven haired SOLDIER and himself after both of them escaped from Nibelheim mansion, but the Turks were a moment too late and Zack ended up dead to save Cloud instead.

"I need to find her." Was all Cloud could say. Yuffie started sobbing once again for she knows how unstable the warrior's mind was, he was at risk of breaking down, he almost did when Aerith died.

"Cloud, we'll help each other. Please, take care of yourself." The princess pleaded with a sob. "We'll find her."

"Yeah." Cloud responded flatly. He swallowed thickly, his mouth was dry and he shook all over.

"Cloud... Please... Just... Please don't let it get to you, we'll find her." The irony of that, she was the one being hysterical, Cloud almost wanted to laugh.

"Yeah." He responded with the same flat tone.

"We'll pick you up after a few hours, just wait okay?"

"Yeah." He said again before he flipped his phone shut. He looked up at his mold covered ceiling then closed his eyes. Tifa's face began to flash on his mind. He opened his eyes once again which was now filled with cold fury before he stood up slowly. "Tifa..." He said her name with such gentleness that didn't really match the rage that was written on his facade.

* * *

Tifa's eyes snapped open from her deep slumber after she thought she heard someone calling her name, she hastily sat up from the grasslands she settled herself for the night to scan the dark area frantically, thinking that someone had found her andd was coming to get her but when she realized that she was wrong, she let out a sigh of relief with an almost laugh, finding herself hilarious for being paranoid.

 _That was close... I thought for a moment there..._ She ran her fingers gently through her hair, then very slowly, she started clawing down her cheek before the said fingers reached her mouth to start biting on her nails. Her hand started shaking and she started eyeing the darkened grasslands before she heard a low growl, she knew a fiend was nearby so she stood up to fight, she slowly turned around to feel where the monster was coming from, then let out a powerful punch that collided with monster's face when it attempted to charge from behind, she sent it flying while it howled in great pain and while depending on her senses, she charged once again only to crush the thing with her bare hands, blood and guts covered her while she attacked mercilessly with her eyes wild with rage.

When she knew that it already met its end, she wiped her face with her hand in an attempt to remove the blood but ended up spreading it all over. She started laughing as she stared at her blood stained hands in the dark though sees nothing of it.

"And to think I just washed myself back in that river."

She suddenly yelped when she heard a gunshot, she frantically looked around before she covered her ears when she heard a very faint cry of a child, then it grew louder and closer which made her whimper loudly.

"No!" She yelled into the night air. "Go away!"

 _You're not going anywhere... Your home is with me..._

Tifa started screaming.


	3. A promise to keep

A/N: Bryce's age has been changed from two to three, it was a mistake.

Warning: Self harm. Details of inflicted violence. OOC.

 **Four years ago**

Tifa closed her eyes while she enjoyed the feel of the wind on her face with her forearm resting in the ship's railings. She had just cut her hair in line with her jaw with full bangs covering her forehead using the dagger she kept on her duffle bag causing it to have jagged edges, and she discarded her barmaid outfit for a black tank top, acid washed fitted jeans and some black buckled boots that she purchased from a botique in Kalm before she boarded a ferry towards her next stop. Her new edgy look made her unrecognizable and that's exactly what she was going for.

She knew her comrades were probably already frantic because of her sudden absence, she felt a little satisfaction while she imagined Cloud panicking while looking for her. But she had no regrets, she just wanted to get away and start a new life without any of part of her past trailing behind her, selfish, yes, but she wanted to be selfish for once. She smiled as she envisioned a much brighter future, maybe she still had the chance to be happy.

She turned around then rested her elbows on the railing instead, her short hair blowing along with the wind, the rough edges slightly irritating her face. Then she began observing the passengers along with her, she wondered how it was like when they were just at their homes living normally everyday, but she really didn't know which was much better, sitting on the comfort of your own home, not really knowing what was coming until the very moment they just start running for their lives or travelling to stop the madman responsible for the planet's supposed end and enduring the pressure of such responsibility to save those people living in normalcy. She sighed slowly before she smiled as her eyes landed on two small kids playing with some toy blocks with their mother watching over them.

Maybe Costa del sol will have something great in store for her, maybe work in a bar once again, meet different people with different stories she can entertain herself with, and maybe find the man who will sweep her off her feet, though she didn't really need a partner to fully function, she wanted to settle down in the future and have her own little family, the dream that she had with one person in mind but she knew it was impossible.

 _You've got to stop thinking about him._ She mentally scolded herself for going back to where she was. She smiled once again when the ferry was finally reaching the beach and she had never been excited all her life, she was going to miss everyone, her allies in battle, the closest she had for a family, she will miss Marlene and most of all;

She was going to miss _him._

But she shook it all away with another smile that says that she's ready for something new.

The something new she was going to regret probably for the rest of her life.

* * *

Cloud got picked up later that night by Barret and Yuffie and they were all on board the Sierra, Cid's new airship named after his former assistant that the pilot used to verbally abuse excessively but was now his wife, no one saw that coming and it took them all by surprise.

"I can't fuckin' believe this is happenin'." Barret expressed solemnly with a shake of his head, Tifa was like a daughter to him and the news deeply hurt him, he was thankful that Marlene, now a little older who is staying with Elmyra didn't know anything about fate of the woman she considered a mother when she didn't have one. Cloud had been silent even when Barret and Yuffie came for him, he had gone into that depressed state ever since Tifa had left and nobody had the capability to ease his inner turmoil.

"Tifa will not do somethin' batshit crazy like that! Those fuckers accusin' her of murderin' her own husband and kid is just messed up in the head!" Cid yelled while he stirred the ship.

"We still don't know the whole story, we cannot conclude anything until the investigation is finished, or until we get Tifa so she can tell us everything we need to know." Vincent said as he leaned his back on the wall with his arms crossed in front of him.

"But until then," Nanaki started. "I would never believe that she had done something like this."

"Ya got that fuckin right! My girl wouldn' do somethin' so horrible like killin' people!" Barret exclaimed with a punch of the wall making Cid wince.

"Watch yer hand there ye ass!"

Yuffie wasn't saying anything which was very unusual for her, all she did was stare at the blond swordsman, who was lost on his own thoughts as he looked out the cockpit window, probably wasn't even listening to the conversation the rest had been having. Reeve had told her what was found on the Tyrell home, the body of Constance, which was Tifa's husband, was found in the kitchen with his skull smashed and his face was destroyed beyond recognition, it was a gruesome death, the boy however, was found on a basement which was also a home clinic, Constance apparently, was a doctor. The boy's body was covered in blood but he only had a gunshot on his chest and he was lying face down, a gun was found a few feet from him, there were blood stains on the clinic chair as well. Yuffie shook those information away from her thoughts to look at Cloud once more, she felt like she wanted to scream and cry and curse the planet because Reeve had told her another piece of information and she didn't know when was the right time to relay it, maybe never. She ended up turning around to run away, everyone in her crew didn't notice that she did due to their own distracted thoughts, and when she found a secluded area within the moving airship, she let out a strangled cry while tightly clutching her chest like she was in great pain.

"Oh Tifa... How am I going to..." She spent the rest of the night sobbing.

* * *

Cloud remembered very clearly how he woke up that morning four years ago to find Tifa missing, all of her belongings were no where to be found and she left nothing to tell her whereabouts, it broke his heart and that's when he started spiraling downwards. Why did she leave? What did I do wrong? These questions kept coming back over and over for the past years.

He then recalled the night they exchanged their feelings without words, he never knew that the day would come that he would make love to her, it felt surreal to him, pleasuring her, making her say his name in those sweet sighs, for a long time he wanted her and that night had filled his deepest fantasies.

She had confronted him about Aerith that night, she asked him how he really felt for the last Cetra, and he told her the best answer to that question.

 _I... I don't know..._

He really didn't. For a moment he thought he did, he was attracted to her beautiful green eyes the first time he saw on sector eight when they first blew up reactor one, then he saw her again when he fell down on the roof of her church, he knew he was attracted, but he didn't know if it was love. Maybe it was, but it wasn't his own feelings. He will never really get an answer even if he tried.

But it didn't matter anymore, all he wanted at that moment was to find her and hide her from the rest of the world, she needed him and he will come for her like she had always done for him. He looked up to see the dark sky.

A long time ago, under the stars, a promise has been made and he will prove to her that he is true to his words.

* * *

Tifa walked through the water with her half of her naked body submerged on the river to wash herself from all the flesh and blood from the fiend she smashed into pieces, she gently scooped a handful of water shakily before she started rubbing her soft skin gently like she was a frail piece of object that was easily broken. She stared at herself which was reflected in the water under the moonlight with her eyes hollow and empty, and with a shaky hand, she wiped all the blood away from her blood stained face before she started breathing heavily. She looked down at her bare stomach only to whimper before she started clawing the soft skin with an anguished scream that was very painful to hear, blood started pouring out of her self inflicted wounds but she didn't stop until the mark she was trying to hide was finally no where in sight. She calmed down almost immediately before she fully submerged herself, crimson liquid scattered all around her as it blended with the clear water. She let herself float while she waved her hands on her side, smiling at the sight of the bright stars and moon, wondering if Cloud was seeing the same thing.


	4. Voice in her head

**Four years ago.**

 **Tifa's POV**

I found myself a decent job just days after I moved into the popular tourist spot, as well as a nice little apartment that was a studio type, it was just right for someone living alone. My first thoughts was to work as a bartender again, but, I thought it was not the best idea, the last thing I needed was to be found the easiest way possible. One evening, as I took a walk while lost in my own little world, I happen to pass by a restaurant that only the rich could afford, I needed to check if they would hire any new waitresses or any other job that would be suitable for me, so I dressed myself up as decent as I can with a pencil skirt and a white dress shirt. The restaurant, which was named Glasshouse, was actually looking for a pianist. I was hesitant at first with years of not touching a grand piano, I assumed that I can no longer play tunes like I used to, but as soon as my fingers landed on the keys, with grace and confidence, everything began pouring out. I was thankful that I landed the job and I began to entertain the guests every evening since then.

Only my employer knew of my real name, saying that I needed it for security reasons due to my name flying everywhere since Sephiroth's demise, he agreed to let me use a nickname. He understood. But he didn't know the real reason why I didn't want to be recognized.

'Dani'. That's how everyone knows me.

I had to use my saved up money to buy some decent dresses for work, I also learned how to apply respectable make up, though after every shift, I'm back to my buckle boots, black jackets and messy hair.

I thought my life was finally taking its turn, people were actually coming back just to see me play, I've gain quite a number of admirers and some spontaneous marraige proposals, I was grateful that people appreciated me. I even bought an electric piano to practice new music at home to make them even more happy. It just felt so great to be needed.

Then one evening, before I could start playing, I noticed _him_. He sat on a corner booth, alone and solemn looking. He stared at me as he took a sip of his expensive wine with the most handsome features I've ever come across, not since Cloud. With his dark brown hair that was side swept on his forehead, his droopy yellow eyes that screamed innocence, his pale skin that put Vincent Valentine to shame, his height that towered every person in the place, he was the epitome of physical perfection. I couldn't help but stare back and my heart hammered when he smiled, the smile that would melt every single woman who was lucky enough to see such a thing.

I cursed myself for staring for far too long, I smiled back before I faced my piano keys, with that smile etched on my mind, I started playing with more self worth.

After my shift, he was there, waiting for me.

* * *

"Where's Yuffie?" Barret asked during breakfast as he helped himself with some toast.

"She's still sleeping, I guess..." Nanaki said.

"She's beyond herself since we all got together." Vincent stated. Cid listened to the conversation while taking a sip of his tea while Cloud stared at his food without saying anything.

"Alrigh', so Tifa was residin' in Costa del sol right? She fled without anythin' in her possession accordin' ta Reeve. Her wallet was left at home. No money, no credit cards, no nothin'." Barret said before he drank his coffee.

"I doub' that she left with no money." Cid pointed out.

"It's safe to say that right now, she's outside the areas of North Corel or Gold saucer, but I wouldn't think the latter, she would die of dehydration. She's not stupid." Nanaki said with a sigh.

"Well, we better hurry and get her!" Barret exclaimed with a slam of his hand on the table. "What ya waitin' for Cid?!"

"Alrigh'! Alrigh'! No need to take it out on me! Asshole." Cid said as he stood up to start flying the airship towards North Corel.

"Cloud, ya alrigh'?" Barret asked the blond swordsman who seemed to be lost in his own world. He slowly looked up at Barret, dark circles visible on his eyes. "Ya don' look so good buddy."

"I'm fine." He said flatly.

"You don't look fine." Nanaki said back.

"I said I'm fine." Cloud told them again, the last thing they needed to see was him showing some kind of weakness, but it was exactly what he was doing without any kind of realization.

"Alrigh'," Barret said before he stood up. "I better check on Yuffie."

* * *

Yuffie stared at the window of her room while thinking about the conversation she had with Reeve, she was glad that the president of WRO trusted her enough to tell her those information, but, she felt unbearable guilt for knowing things but not having enough courage to tell her comrades, specially one particular swordsman who deserves some truths, more than anyone on the airship. She was in the middle of it and it was taking its toll on her, she wished that she was just as clueless as her friends.

"Yuffie, ya alrigh' in there?" Barret's muffled voice was heard from the other side of the door.

"I... I'm fine, I just woke up!" She yelled, hoping that she sounded like her usual self.

"Well hurry up! We're doin' a massive search in the outskirts of my hometown so better get yo ass up and join everyone else!" Yuffie rolled her eyes with a slight smirk before she spoke.

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming!" Then her face grew solemn as soon as she heard Barret's footsteps fading away. _Tifa... Don't worry, we'll see you soon, just hang on._ She thought before she looked up at her ceiling. _Aerith, please... Watch over her..._ Yuffie yelped when she lost her balance when Cid stirred a little too hard. "THAT OLD FART!"

* * *

 _Tifa..._

 _...Who... Who is it?_

 _Tifa... They're coming... They're coming to get you..._

 _...Who is? Who are you?_

 _Don't you recognize my voice?_

 _Please stop..._

 _Stay where you are... They're coming for you..._

 _Who is?_

 _Our friends are coming... He's coming..._

 _What do you mean?_

 _You're going to be saved..._

 _No, don't mess with my head..._ Tifa stared at the dark, endless void where she was in the middle of, she looked around to make sure no one was following her.

 _Don't go..._ There it was again, that voice.

 _I must be going crazy._ Tifa thought with a laugh.

 _You're not going crazy, I wouldn't allow that..._

 _Who's there?!_

 _It's me... Your frie-_ But the sweet voice suddenly grew quiet and all she could hear was low humming, it was haunting and familiar that she couldn't help but shudder as she listened to it. She covered her ears before she crouched down, then she began rocking her body to ease her fear.

 _No, don't... Please..._ She pleaded before a low voice began to talk slowly.

 _You're home is with me..._

Tifa's eyes snapped open as she tried to catch her breath, she looked around the grasslands with her eyes wild from fear and anxiety. She slowly sat up to clutch her throbbing head before she heard something roaring from above, her hair began flying in every direction before she looked up. She gasped with a tear escaping her eye before she stood up to start running away.

* * *

"What if she sees the airship then she starts thinking that people boarding this will come and get her to prison? She's not familiar with this model after all." Yuffie said and everyone couldn't help but agree that she had a point.

"We didn't think about that, I wish that there is a way we can get in contact with her." Nanaki stated weakly. As soon as he said that, Cloud began to stare ahead before his orbs lost its glow, Yuffie was the one who noticed his sudden behavior, she began to panic thinking that he was losing his mind.

"Cloud!" She began to shake him furiously before his eyes went back to his normal state, he stared at Yuffie then the rest of his comrades before he spoke.

"She's here, she's down there. She's running away from us."

"What are you talking about?!" Yuffie exclaimed, thinking of it as a bad sign of his slowly deteriorating mental health. "This isn't funny!"

"Cloud, what the hell is goin' on?!" Barret inquired with a scowl.

"Why don't you stop questioning me and begin the search as soon as possible! She's out there in the forest and we need to get her before she gets hurt!" Cloud commanded just like old times, Barret, still disturbed by how he knew where Tifa was couldn't but smile in a smug manner.

"Ya heard the man! Everyone jump out and split up! We have no time ta waste! That's why were here in the first place!" Barret yelled before he put a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "And she's not going ta get hurt, she's Tifa Lockhart for Shiva's sake." He reassured before Cloud nodded. Cid hovered the airship above before everyone started jumping out, Yuffie was the last one to go and she couldn't help but feel worried about Cloud and how he suddenly knew where Tifa was.

 _Don't worry... I heard you..._

Yuffie was taken aback by hearing that familiar, sweet voice. She looked up in shock before she sighed, hoping that it was the flower girl that showed Cloud the way, and not his unstable mental state.

 _Please Aerith, if you know anything... Don't tell him._

She didn't hear an answer.


	5. Bruised heart

**Tifa's POV**

His name is Constance, he's a doctor, he's twenty eight and he came from an extremely wealthy family line. Despite his timid appearance, he kept me entertained with his witty sense of humor. Our chemistry was undeniably there that we constantly craved each other's company. After that night of our first meeting, he'd always come and see me play. I agreed to have a date four days after that. He took me to a wonderful seafood restaurant when I mentioned something about lobster cravings. It was more of a friendly date that ended into something more as the night progressed. He took me to his beautiful home that was fit for a king, talked a little more with glasses of wine clutched on our hands and the next thing I knew, his arms were around me while we lay together on his luxurious bed, bare and skin to skin.

I thought that's how it worked for most people living in Costa del sol, one night then you never see each other again, I almost regretted it, but not really. But it turned out, it wasn't just one time for him. He took me out to places I've never been, he gave me flowers and lavish gifts which I thought was overwhelming. He told me he liked me, a lot, and it was the same for me, the image of the man I loved almost half my life was now a blurry figure inside my head, atleast that's what I kept drilling on my head. Maybe I was using him to forget, but at the moment, I couldn't care less. I got lots of envious looks from women everywhere we went, he was flaunting me as much as I was flaunting him.

I thought I was never going to have the chance to be happy, but for once, I was. I was blessed by having Constance in my life, we've been together for a short amount of time but he made me feel all the things that I haven't felt for so long.

He made me feel like a queen.

I didn't know what urged me to tell him who i really am, but I did. Maybe I trusted him too much. He was surprised and was slightly intimidated, he suddenly felt inadequate but he never change how he treated me. Told me that he liked me even more, he admired me for my strenght that he'll probably never have. We laughed of course, and I teased about how I was going to teach him how to fight. We were having such a great time, spending it all in each other's arms, talking about life, kissing, making love.

Until weeks later, it happened.

Uncontrollable nausea started, it never failed to occur at the same time everyday, I couldn't keep any food down and I felt fatigued that I sometimes couldn't go to work. I didn't tell him until much time later when he noticed how pale and suddenly thin I was. He decided to get me checked.

Twelve weeks pregnant and counting.

* * *

Cloud slashed his way through a monster as he sprinted down the woods hoping to get a hold of Tifa first. He did a front flip before he slashed another fiend in half then continued his way forward, he could hear Barret's gunfire and battle cry from afar.

He knew Tifa was close and was probably sensing their presence, he was not going to give up, he needed to see her and he knew she needed him too. He scanned the area looking for signs of his childhood friend, his blood was pumping and he felt like his strenght was even greater than before.

"Heads up!" Cloud jumped as Yuffie's Conformer came to his direction before it pierced a monster right on its head, the Princess came running past him before she grabbed her weapon from the fiend's flesh, then she flipped away before she jumped up towards the top of a tree that was nearby, probably to scout the area for signs of Tifa from above. As Cloud made his way forward, slowly, he was suddenly surrounded with blinding light, taken aback and confused, he stopped on his tracks to look around, no woods, no comrades, just white emptiness, he kept himself alert, thinking it was a monster's skill then he noticed something moving on his far left, he glanced at the direction only to find a familiar figure running away from him. His eyes widened before he started running after it. As he was starting to caught up to the figure, he was once again surrounded by trees and grass, he managed to avoid smashing his face on a trunk by delivering a powerful slash before he saw the figure reach its dead end.

"TIFA!" He called out on the top of his lungs while he ran faster than he had in his life. As soon as the distressed martial artist heard him, she turned around only to become hysterical, she started whimpering before she covered her ears with her hands, Cloud grabbed her shoulders as soon as he reached her but she suddenly screamed in pain, he instantly let her go like she was some white hot iron before he grabbed her face to lift it up, only to find it badly bruised, her left eye was barely open and swollen, her lip was cut and there were bruising on the sides of her face and also her neck, her arms were blue and black along with some scratches. Cloud felt his heart break into a million pieces that breathing was suddenly difficult for him.

"What happened to you...?" He asked in a whisper while Tifa stared at him with wild eyes. Her lip started quivering before she began her hysterics once again.

"Go away! You're not real! Stop messing with my head!"

"What...?" Cloud asked quietly, too shocked at the state Tifa was in. "Tifa..."

"Go away!" Tifa started running past him and Cloud immediately followed.

"Tifa!" But the martial artist wasn't really looking where she was going, after avoiding trees along the way, she ended up falling down a hill, letting out an ear splitting scream.

"TIFA!"

Her defeaning voice echoed throughout the woods making each of their scattered comrades stop on their tracks to look around.

"Is that...?" Yuffie stated before she followed the the direction of the sound.

"Tifa!" Cloud called out with wide eyes as he looked for her down below, he started to descend only to find Tifa minutes later, laying on her her back on the ground, unconscious and bleeding on the head. "NO! NO!" Just as he was staggering towards her beaten form, the faster ones of his comrades, Vincent, Yuffie and Nanaki along with Cait Sith, came jumping down to where they were.

"Tifa! Oh my Gods!" Yuffie exclaimed while she covered her mouth with her hands. Cloud placed his shaky fingers on the side of Tifa's neck to feel her pulse and he let out a heavy sigh of relief when he felt one.

"What in the world happen to her?!" Cid yelled as him and Barret catch up minutes later, Cloud hovered a shaky hand over the brunette before his arm glowed green. Tifa's body began to glow and they watched as her wounds and bruises disappear very slowly, but she didn't wake up. Cloud stared at her with his eyebrows knitted together, he feared for her but at the same time, relieved that she's finally back to him.

"What did this ta her...?" Barret said weakly, not used to seeing Tifa on such a terrible state, not even during their pursuit against Sephiroth.

"I'm just glad Cloud found her." Nanaki said solemnly.

"Hang in there lass!" Cait Sith exclaimed with a nod of his head while he mounted Nanaki's back.

"We better get her back to the airship." Vincent stated before Cloud gently scooped Tifa up. Everyone watched before they all turned around to start jumping up the hill, leaving Cloud alone with Tifa. He buried his face on her hair and was surprised by the calming effect it had on him, despite the situation, Tifa never failed to make him feel like that.

"Cloud... You okay?" He didn't notice that Yuffie came back to check on him, and he appreciated that.

"I'm fine..." He said quietly without lifting his face from Tifa's hair. He had finally got her, and he was not going to let her go.

But he knew that something was wrong with her. The wild look in her eyes was still haunting him.

He held her closer to him if it was even possible before he lifted his head once again to follow his allies towards the Sierra. As he began walking, a familiar voice was heard along the way.

 _Everything's going to be fine... Cloud..._

He stopped on his tracks to slowly look up before he closed his eyes, he swallowed, trying hard to keep his emotions from getting to him.

 _Thank you._

A/N: I just want to warn up front that the next chapters (Well, not really the next one) will contain strong violence and really heartbreaking scenes. Thanks for reading and donn't forget to review.


	6. Bright eyes

Everyone was back inside the Sierra and they decided to rest for a bit. Cloud and Tifa were inside a small room with the latter laying on the plain, single bed. The blond swordsman stared at the martial artist's face while he gently caressed it like she was going to break, she had been out for already six hours and he was starting to fear that she was not going to wake up anytime soon.

"How is she?" Vincent appeared by the door of the small quarters with his arms crossed. Cloud shook his head without looking at the gunslinger.

"She's still out cold." Cloud said flatly.

"She'll be fine Cloud, your mastered restore helped."

"I know... I just wish she wakes up soon we can talk to her." Cloud said, the longest sentence he had said since the first time since they all got together. "But... I'm worried about her state..."

"What do you mean?"

"She..." Cloud swallowed. "When I found her... She didn't believe that I was real... She told me to stop messing with her head... Her eyes looked really scared and it looked like she wasn't even looking at me..."

"What she had gone through must have took its toll on her. She had lost her family after all. We need to do everything to help her."

Cloud sighed before he spoke. "Yes, that's what I'm going to do." He brushed a few bangs from Tifa's forehead gently. "I'll never let her out of my sight again." Vincent felt that he was intruding at a very intimate moment so he left the two alone. Cloud looked over his shoulder when he can no longer feel the gunman's presence before he glanced back at Tifa.

"Tifa..." He paused to swallow the lump in his throat. "I didn't know why you left... But it doesn't matter to me now. You're here and I'll keep you safe from anybody who wants to hurt you." He stared at her a little longer before he spoke again. "Please wake up..." He didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but he leaned forward to touch his lips into hers. To him, it felt right. He had only realized how much he had missed her. He gently pulled away then he began to remove his shoes, his gloves and his clothes, leaving only his boxers before he slid in the covers to lay down beside her. He wrapped an arm over her stomach before he buried his face on the side of her neck. "You're safe with me... Stay with me..." His pleads were almost desperate even if he knew she wouldn't hear. He held her closer before realizing how exhausted he really was, slowly, his eyes closed before a dreamless sleep took over him.

* * *

Reeve rested his chin over his intertwined fingers as he looked at the envelope in front of him, the documents and photos inside were scattered on his desk and he couldn't help but stare at the child with those familiar eyes. There were also photos of how the bodies were found. Beside the pictures were documents and he couldn't help but close his eyes in what looked like pain.

"What to do..." He told himself with a sigh. Yuffie had called him to say that they had found Tifa, he was going to meet him in the morning but he didn't know if he should show them the items that he had. It was crucial part of the investigation and he knew already who was at fault. But He didn't know if his comrades were ready for the truth.

Specifically, a certain individual in the group.

* * *

 **Four years ago**

 **Tifa's POV**

Three days after we found out that I was expecting, he suddenly asked me to marry him while we were on the beach, walking hand in hand, he went down on one knee to pop the question in front of many people with his beautiful yellow eyes teary but smiling. I thought the fireworks was a bit too much but I was happy, and a bit fast too, we have been dating for a couple of months and we were already jumping to the next level of our relarionship, but do I really have a choice?

He spoiled me to no end during my pregnancy, the first few months was not a good feeling for me, though. My nausea was severe that I lost a lot of weight, I was scared for my growing baby's development but he told me it'll pass after a while, it did. He supported me all throughout, but he kept me inside the house all the time. We got married in a simple ceremony with a few members of his family on the beach despite his wealth, I said I don't want anything over the top.

I met his family then, his Father, i notice, was scary and cold looking but still very handsome for his age, I could see where Constance got his looks from, the same yellow eyes and dark brown hair. But he didn't say a word to me except when I first met him. His mother was as gentle as she can get but she looked terribly older than her actual age, her black hair was dry and her brown eyes were dull but she kept smiling at me, she didn't look like someone who is married to a wealthy man. His sister is a beautiful woman with long black hair and yellow eyes who was instantly close to me, she was two years younger than Constance and was a sweet woman, though she seemed distant with their parents. She's married to a nice man eight years her senior with two beautiful kids. She would always go to Constance's house to visit me and we talk for hours, her kids grew fond of me as well.

Sometimes, I felt trapped but I chose to ignore it, he hardly lets me do anything on my own, it was always suppose to be his way, like how to arrange the kitchen utensils at an specific order or how other things in the house should be organized. I was not used to being ordered on how I arranged things but I let him have his way, it was his house after all, atleast that's what I thought even if we were already married.

During the sixth month of my pregnancy, we found out we were having a boy. Constance was ecstatic of course, and we were more excited than ever before. But it was beginning to get boring in the house because he had asked me to stop working months before, but he didn't let me go out either. My only friend was his sister and no on else, many times I felt lonely because he's very busy with work at the hospital, but when he comes back, he spoils me again with a lot of things that I loved and craved.

Nine months passed by quickly just like that, and I got into a very long, painful labor, thirty three hours. But I managed to endure the pain, I was used to it due to my experiences during the war with Sephiroth. He was there, holding my hand as I screamed and pushed my bundle of joy out, I just wanted it to be over, I almost wanted to laugh when I saw his dark brown bangs sticking in his forehead because of too much sweat. It took a while before we heard his very loud cry, I couldn't help but tear up the moment I saw him, he was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Bryce Tyrell, that's what we decided to name him.

When the nurse handed him to me, I studied his features, checked to see if the fingers and toes were complete. I noticed how bright the little brown hair he has and his skin was pale and he looked really beautiful. He didn't look anything like his father but it's probably not showing yet. Constance was all smiles as he held into our baby's hand, he laughed when little fingers wrapped around his own. We felt nothing but bliss during the time and our smiles never left our faces. But mine fell the moment Bryce opened his eyes for the first time.

It was blue.


	7. Confessions

A/N: A reviewer mentioned that Constance is a girl's name, sorry about that, it sounded masculine to me, ahahah. Anyway, it won't be changed to avoid confusion. Hope you can bear with that. *Scratches head* Thanks for that concern anyway. *Thumbs up*.

 **Tifa's POV**

I did the calculations, I left the dawn after meteor fall, but before that, Cloud and I had a night together, I moved to Costa del sol a day after, and a few more days of getting the job, Constance and I got together.

I felt like a slut.

The duration of the time I spent with two men were so close, its no surprise that...

I can't even say it.

I think my husband sensed something was wrong, but he took care of 'our' son like a good father. I couldn't help but feel ashamed whenever I see them together. I feel an almost unbearable guilt whenever I stare at my beautiful son, but at the same time, my love for him is out of out this world.

He looks just like _him._

There were times that I wanted to run away, but I couldn't, my husband didn't deserve any of that, he's been good to me and I won't repay him by going away.

One day, my husband's sister, Celes, came to visit me but she looked distressed. I asked her what was wrong but her tomgue got tied. After a while, she managed to talk but she started crying at the same time, she said her mother had suffered at the hands of their father for too long but refuses to leave because she 'loves' him. I was confused, then she explained that their father was an extremely violent person and has zero emphaty, he would beat their mother like it didn't matter, and both Celes and my husband had suffered the same. Celes ran away when she was sixteen and got married at nineteen.

Her mother suffered another beating the night before, one of the maids in her father's house called her about it.

Constance was the one who suffered the most, she said, he would always protect their mother but he ends up getting beaten in her place. It was the reason for his history of alchohol and drug abuse when he was younger.

I was shocked at that revelation, no wonder their mother looked like she was falling apart. Their father had that cold look in his eyes and Celes looked very distant to him. Constance was no different, he only spoke to his mother during the wedding. Tifa even wondered why the siblings allowed their father to be there. Maybe they were really scared of him.

Celes wished their father would just die.

And I felt even more guilty. I knew Bryce was not my husband's son and knowing what all he went through was just too much to bear.

That night, Constance came home, very, very drunk.

* * *

Cloud woke up at dawn only to realize that Tifa hadn't move an inch since they got her. He was beginning to worry that he would check her pulse to make sure she was still breathing. He decided to shower after a while then he had his morning coffee so he can keep an eye on Tifa's without dozing off. He was sitting in the airship's small pantry when Yuffie appeared, she gasped then held her hand to her chest in surprise when she saw that Cloud was there.

"Gods, you scared me!" She said. Cloud glanced at her before he grunted but didnt say anything else. Yuffie sighed before she went over to the countertop to make herself some hot chocolate, she was never a coffee person.

"So, how's Teef?" She asked.

"...Not good. Still unconscious." Cloud said flatly before Yuffie's face fell further.

"Oh... I better see her later then. Oh by the way..." Yuffie paused to swallow before she continued. "Reeve is seeing us tomorrow, he can't come right now cause he's busy."

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Cloud said deadpanned before he took a sip of his coffee.

"Reeve took care of it, that skinny punk Robie is taking over me for the meantime." Yuffie said before silence took over them, until sometime later.

"Why do you think she left?" Cloud suddenly asked that took Yuffie by surprise. "I mean..." He sighed. "I thought we were... The night before the battle..."

 _Typical Cloud, still can't properly say the right words._ Yuffie thought with a slight smirk. She raised her eyebrow with a naughty smile on her face then crossed her arms in front of her.

"Am I hearing this right? Is Cloud Strife really asking me for love advice?" She asked with a laugh. Cloud pressed his lips in thin line, already regretting his question.

"I never said-"

"Well, did she confess to you?"

"What? Well... She..." Cloud's cheeks suddenly turned pink before he looked down. Yuffie started laughing again before he buried his face on his arm like a child who was being scolded.

 _Oh my Gods! Who knew he could be so cute like that!_

"She did huh? She's loved you for quite some time now lover boy. And what did you tell her?"

"I..." Cloud's muffled voice was heard.

"What? I can't hear you..." Yuffie teased in a singsong voice. Cloud lifted his head slightly before he spoke.

"Told her I feel the same." He sighed when Yuffie started sqeauling, probably waking up everyone else but he knew it was no use to stop her.

"That's great! I knew you guys are- Wait, so you didn't reject her?! But WHY did she ran away?! And I thought you were head over heels with Aerith."

"That was my question, that's why we're even having this conversation. And what?" Cloud asked in a monotone with a deadpan look. Yuffie guffawed, she knew he was referring to the 'Aerith' situation.

"Well, did you say anything else after to hurt her feelings or something?" Yuffie said before she bit her nail. Cloud closed his eyes with his eyebrows knitted to think. Then he opened them again.

"...I... Don't think so..."

"Hmmm... That's messed up. I don't want to her look bad but, I think it was selfish that she didn't say what she felt and just left. Look at what that did you."

"What do you mean?"

"Hate to break it to you bro but you were beginning to act like a loony bin." Yuffie said nonchalantly before Cloud raised an eyebrow like she just said a humorless joke. "Well, who else is going to tell it to your face! It's our job as your friends to look after you." Cloud's lips lifted upwards to very slightly in appreciation of the Princess' words. He nodded before he stood up. Then as he went pass Yuffie, he ruffled her hair, she laughed before she punched his arm playfully.

"Thanks." Cloud said flatly before he left the pantry to check on Tifa.

* * *

Tifa was running on an endless void with no where to go, she panted as she looked around wildly for a sign of another life, but there was no one.

"Where am I?" She asked herself.

"Mummy."

Tifa gasped when she heard that familiar voice.

"Brycie? Baby?!" She started running again to look for him, then, she found him on the corner of her eye on her right, just standing there looking at her. "MY BABY!"

"Mummy... Hewp..."

"Brycie?!" She began to run faster than ever but before she could reach him, a pair of hands appeared from behind him, one to his mouth and one to his neck then he was pulled into the darkness. "BRYCE!"

Tifa bolted up with a scream before Cloud dashed into the room to hold into her shoulder, she cried and panted with her eyes wild as she stared at the former love of her life.

"Tifa... It's okay."

"C-Cloud...? Is that... Really you...?" She asked while she sobbed, actually having difficulty speaking.

"Yes, yes it's me. I'm here." He said gently before Tifa started crying louder. Cloud placed his hand protectively on her head before he pulled her closer to his chest where Tifa clung for dear life. "It's okay."

"Bryce..." Tifa sobbed his son's name and Cloud didn't understand the sting in his chest when he heard it.

"I'll never leave you." Cloud whispered. Tifa was about to say something but Cloud spoke again.

"I love you."

He said ever so quietly like he didn't even want her to hear it, but she did.

Tifa stopped sobbing immediately and her eyes went wide. She just realized how stupid and unfair she had been to leave the man who loved her after all.

She wished she was the one who died in her son's place. When she was about to act up, her eyes began to loose it's glow.

* * *

"Where did you take her?" Zack ask the woman in pink standing beside him.

"To a good place."

"Good job in stopping her before she ripped that chocobo head apart." Zack said again before Aerith leaned her head on his shoulder.

"We wouldn't want that, not now that they've just been reunited."

A/N: Thank you for your reviews! New update for 'Easy as pie' to be uploaded next!


	8. Black

**Warning: OOC**

 **Tifa's POV**

The night that my husband came home drunk , I asked him about it and he said he had drinks with his co-workers. I shrugged it off and just asked him to get to bed, which he did. But it was then it all started to get habitual, coming home drunk almost every other day is not to be tolerated, so I confronted him one night about it but got totally ignored. I remembered how his sister told me about his past drug and alchohol abuse and of course, I was worried about it. A total relapse is not an option for a full time doctor who is also a father.

I get chills at that one word.

Maybe this is karma for me. Maybe I deserved what was happening. I was torn between telling him the truth or hiding it. I kept convincing myself that my Bryce is Constance's, but as the boy grew, he looked more like _him_.

Aside from his constant drinking, I was always kept inside the house, he doesn't want me to go out, even grocery shopping alone. Maybe he already felt like something was not right so kept me isolated. As 'our' son grew a year old, Constance was more distant to the boy. That's when I realized that maybe he already knew and it was the cause of his actions, but he's too good of a person to even confront me about it. He never changed the way he treated me, but for my son...

Though, he still threw a huge birthday party for Bryce when he turned one and I felt ashamed about it, I was already thinking about getting a DNA test for them, but there was only one hospital in Costa del sol and that's where my husband works, the word will get out to him for sure.

I look at my son as he played at his sand box, his light brown hair was starting to spike up and I couldn't help but smirk despite the circumstances. He looked at me with his bright blue eyes and he smiled, the smile that was all too familiar.

I couldn't help but finally break down.

* * *

Cloud pulled up the blanket towards Tifa's chin and made sure she was comfortable, he gently caressed her face before running his thumb over her cheek. He couldn't help but admire her beauty, despite her state. He sighed before he stood up to get something to eat and drink from the pantry for him and Tifa, in case she wakes up.

"Hey brat, what's really bothering ya?" Cid asked the Princess who was sitting across from him, they were all gathered around the table in the pantry.

"What do you mean?" Yuffie asked, deadpanned.

"See?! See?! This isn't ya!"

"It's like you're not tellin' us somethin', spill it out!" Barret said before he took a sip of his coffee. Yuffie looked down with a sigh, not really willing to talk.

"Reeve will be here tomorrow, he'll tell you. I don't think I'm in the position to tell you that."

"What are you guys talking about?" Cloud suddenly appeared from the pantry entrance, Yuffie's eyes widened, she was glad she was not talking about something forbidden.

"Well, Yuffie here has been acting strange and we were askin' her what the hell is the matter with her." Cid responded.

"Right." Cloud said while he retrieved some bowls and glasses from the counter top. He proceeded to scoop some soup into the two bowls for him and Tifa.

"Is she awake?! I'm gonna go see her!" Yuffie stood up but Cloud fisted her jacket to prevent her from running away. "ACK!"

"She's still sleeping." He said deadpanned. Yuffie was about to retort when they saw a figure appear by the door. Yuffie gasped and everyone stood up to stare.

"TIFA!" Yuffie yelled before Cloud let her go with a sigh. Yuffie ran towards the brunette before she wrapped her arms around the martial artist's neck. Tifa visibly flinched at the contact, Cloud noticed. Yuffie started sobbing while everyone else began to surround her. Tifa, feeling overwhelmed, began crying silently with her eyes wide.

These were the people she left without a word, and she never felt more ashamed in her life.

"Glad to have you back kiddo." Cid said.

"Lookit ma girl! She looks so much better now!" Barret piped.

"Tifa." Vincent greeted.

"We're so glad to see you again Lass!" Cait Sith exclaimed, Nanaki nodded.

"I-I'm so sorry everyone..." Tifa whispered before she cried harder. Cloud's face softened before he approached the group quietly.

"Let her have her space. Come on Teef, let's eat." He said as he gently pulled her away from Yuffie. He guided her to a nearby chair then helped her sit down. Tifa wiped her tears then looked up at Cloud, who was retrieving the bowls from the counter.

"Let's let them eat first, we can talk to Tifa later." Nanaki suggested. Yuffie's phone began ringing after that, she fished it out her pocket to look at the caller.

"It's Reeve!" She answered. "...Hello?" She knitted her eyebrows while she listened intently at the other line.. "Oh! Alright!" She flipped her phone shut. "He pulled some strings and he's already down there! He needs to board the airship!"

"He is?" Cid asked, very surprised.

"Well what are you waiting for?!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Just a second! You shitty brat!" Cid yelled before he started running towards the cockpit. Cait Sith was already shut down so Vincent carried the robot with him when he followed Cid, the rest followed to leave Cloud and Tifa alone. Cloud sat down beside Tifa to start eating, Tifa, who hadn't have proper food for days, started slurping her soup noisily then she grabbed the bowl to start drinking the liquid, Cloud felt more sorry for her.

"There's more in the pot okay? I'll get you some more..." He said gently when Tifa placed the bowl down, then she nodded. She started spooning the meat and vegetables to shove them in her mouth while Cloud ate his own portion. After a while, Tifa was done and Cloud grabbed her bowl to get her some more.

"Thank you..." She said quietly, embarrassed, as Cloud placed the bowl back in front of her.

"No problem..." He responded before he sat down once again, then he face her to gently tuck some hair behind her ear but she jerked violently again, which took him by surprise. "S-sorry, I didn't mea-"

"No!" She yelled that surprised Cloud again then she looked down in shame. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to react that way... I'm sorry!" Tifa faced him before she bowed her head. Cloud furrowed his brows at her behavior, it looked like she was in constant fear of being touched and when she felt like she made a mistake, she would apologize and apologize. "I'm sorry."

"Teef, hey... You don't need to-"

"No. I do. I left. I left you without a word and all of these wouldn't have happened if I-" She stopped when Cloud shushed her. He attempted to brush a few strands of her hair again, she flinched but didn't back away. He was confused, he was able to hug her when she had her nightmare before, maybe because she was too scared and she needed someone to hold her at that time.

"It's alright. The important thing is, you're here with me... Us now."

"I'm really sorry..."

"It's alright..."

"Tifa..." Reeve sudddenly appeared on the pantry entrance and he wore a solemn look on his face, he and Yuffie was the only ones who knew the extent of what really happened to her at the Tyrell house and he couldn't help but approach the brunette to give her a hug. "You'll be fine." He reassured.

"Reeve." Tifa said before she started crying again. They pulled away before Reeve put a hand on Cloud's shoulder.

"Everyone's on the cockpit, if you're ready, we can go meet them so we can discuss what happened to you." Tifa didn't respond but she knew they needed to know. They deserved it, they are risking a lot by hiding a famous criminal after all. She nodded after a while and she just wished that they would understand. She glanced at Cloud, fearing the worst from him the moment he finds out about Bryce. Her body started shaking and she began to look everywhere like a paranoid human being, she hugged herself to ease it but it was barely helping.

* * *

 **Tifa's POV from a year ago**

Constance got worse as months pass by, drunken nights was very common in our household that I was already ignoring it, talking to him didn't do much, our relationship was already strained and was not getting any better. We started having really bad fights for the short years we were together, a lot of household items were destroyed from the said fights and he would scream over little things and I would scream back, like how he didn't want the way I arranged his desk or the way i polished his shoes, he would critisize my cooking and my clothes and the way I raised Bryce. His insults got worse and worse but I wouldn't back down either, I kept reminding him who he married and I was glad it always worked, he would just leave but without throwing curses me, in which I was already used to, by the way.

I managed to get a hold of his phone one morning when he was in the shower, and at that moment, a text message came in.

 _Babe, I'll be waiting at 9. See you, miss you already._

I was blinded with rage, how dare he cheat on me. But who was I to talk, I gave him a son who wasn't even his, but at that moment, it didn't even occur to me that way so I confronted him when got out of the shower, already wearing slacks and a dress shirt. I showed him the text and waved it to his face. He was instantly defensive and he swatted the phone away from my hand. My blood boiled so I started yelling, and that's when it happened.

He slapped me, hard.

But I wouldn't let him hurt me like that, so I punched him back square in the face, he flew to the other side of the room and collided to the wall before he looked up at me in fear.

"Don't you ever do that again or you'll get more than that." I threatened, I was already tired of it all. He nodded and stood up, he tried to hug me and apologize while crying but I didn't hug him back and just listened to him. I felt my love for him disappear by the second, the insults, everything he had ever said and did to me came back at that moment.

I was tired of walking on eggshells every single day. And now, there's cheating.

I decided to pack up the moment he left for work, with a bruised face, he went to 'work', I seriously doubt that he'll show his face like that though. Even though he was being a jerk, in the back of my mind, I knew I deserved it all, I was a little whore who gave my husband a son from another man.

While I was shoving my clothes on my luggage, out of anger and constant whispering to myself, I didn't notice someone come in the bedroom, and the last thing I remember was a piece of cloth being held into my mouth and nose.

Then everything was black.


	9. Chains

**A/N: Hi guys! At this point the flashbacks might be confusing for it will not be in chronological order.**

 **Warning: OOC. Violence. Might be unsettling to some readers.**

 **Tifa's POV from a year ago.**

My husband had been very insensitive when it come to his words towards me. When I say the 'wrong thing', I'm sure going to get it, of course, I wouldn't back down without a fight, but his anger would get worse that he would break things. He called me names like bitch, stupid, imbecile and many more along with those lines. He's very good at manipulative mind games to the point where I do believe that I'm inadequate and stupid, that I'm not good enough for him or my son.

Celes decided to visit me one time and my husband was at home as well, we were about to have dinner when Constance suddenly dropped the spoon loudly to his plate that took us all by surprise.

"What kind of food is this?" Was his question, I was confused of course, it was normal, decent food and he was finding another excuse to abuse me again. Celes stared at his brother like he has three heads, then she spoke.

"What are you doing Constance?" She asked, my husband just huffed with a sarcastic smile on his face that pissed me off.

"Would you eat this crap?" He said. Celes had a sudden realization at that moment, to her horror, so she slammed her hand on the table,completely forgetting about the kids dining with us.

"Stop it! You're beginning to sound like our pathetic excuse of a father!" She exclaimed.

"Don't compare me to that fucker!" Constance yelled back.

"Language!" I yelled as well. But my husband just glared at me before he angrily stood up to walk away. I stared at his retreating back in shock, he was getting worse and worse and this is not the life that I wanted for myself, I moved away to have a better life but I got the worse kind. I heard his car start from outside.

"I'm sorry about my brother, I'll talk to him." Celes said.

"There's no need Celes, there's no reasoning with him."

"You mean this has happened before?"

"Recently, yeah."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I think he's becoming more and more like our Dad, he was like that with Mom at the beginning, until it got worse."

"I won't let him hurt me like that, and I always fight."

"Maybe I can persuade him to go to counseling, he's had a rough childhood and he might be repeating what our father had done to him."

"You think that'll work?"

"We'll have to try..."

The truth was, I had the chance to walk away, but, now, I couldn't, he controlled the money, he wouldn't let me get a job, he took away my phone, I was isolated and stuck at home, I don't have any friends who I can talk to, but I'm glad Celes was there to listen and she understands this kind of situation more than anyone.

"I get it, I totally get it. It's hard to walk away, my Mom was the same, my Father made her feel that hewas the only one who could ever love her and 'care' for her, she felt stupid and inadequate and helpless." Celes hit the nail in the head.

"I guess I have some thinking to do, in the recent weeks he's been like that, I won't let him treat me like that anymore. But right now, if I walk away, what will happen to my son? Where will we live? I don't have any money to feed him, looking for a place to live then finding a job for days while my son starves is not an option for me. I hate feeling like this, this isn't me!" Tifa told Celes, who leaned forward to me to whisper something.

"Don't worry, I'll help you. If you plan on walking out on him, I'll help you. Just let me kno-"

"He took away my phone."

"I'll give my number and you can call me through a public phone." Celes said before she fished out her wallet to grab something. Then she handed the card to me. "Here."

"W-What? What is thi-"

"Hold on to this alright? If you need money, you can withdraw from there, don't worry about how much you need." Celes started writing on a piece of paper. "This is the pin number and below is my phone." I was speechless as I hesitantly receive the paper.

"But... Why are you willing to help me this much?" I asked, completely overwhelmed.

"I saw what my Mother had become, I woudn't want the same thing happen to you. And your son..." Celes stared at Bryce, who was picking on his potato. "You don't want to expose him in such environment, this is a vicious cycle, Constance is becoming our father and your son will have a chance to be like that as well."

"I wouldn't want that. I'll pay you back, I'm sorry that it's like this, I will turn my life back around, I just have to see if he'll change, we're still married after all."

"Yeah. It's not something to throw away so easily, but if he's beginning to hurt you physically, then walk away."

"Not without him getting punched in the face first." I said with a smirk, Celes couldn't help her chuckle.

"Right, it's Tifa freaking Lockhart, you have to show him who he married."

"Don't worry, he will."

It was two days later that I saw the text of his mistress on his phone.

* * *

Reeve nodded as he looked around greet everyone on the cockpit.

"I'm glad we're all here, this is a very important moment for Tifa and don't want everybody to miss out on anything." He said, then he paused to stare at the brunette, who was sitting side by side with Cloud near Cid, who was stirring the airship.

"Okay, who's goin' to talk first?" Barret asked. Reeve raised his hand.

"As you know, we handled the investigation at the Tyrell house, and..." Reeve glanced at Tifa, who was fidgeting at where she was. "We found Tifa's husband in bad shape."

"How bad." Cid said.

"His..." Reeve swallowed then glanced at Tifa again, who looked down. "His face and head were smashed beyond recognition. His body was heavily battered and there were a lot of scratches as well."

"Holy shit." Barret said. Yuffie was not saying anything and she just looked down. "What the hell happened to 'im Teef? Who did that to 'im?"

"It was someone who hated him, and that someone decided to extract revenge by beating him to death. For what reasons behind it? I can't really tell." Tifa said, not even bothered by what she said. "I'm not surprised though, he's been a complete jerk throughout our marriage, so no wonder he gathered a few enemies."

"Do ye know this son of a bitch who did that to yer husband?" Cid asked.

"...I do."

"And what do you mean, complete jerk?" Cloud asked. Tifa suddenly grew quiet and her eyes slightly widened. Then she began to hug and rock herself, Cloud noticed the sudden change in her so he wrapped his arm around her, she jerked again before she stood up, surprising everyone.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" She exclaimed with a bow towards Cloud, he knitted his eyebrows together, she had done it again.

"Tifa..." He started with a swallow. "What happened to you before we found you?" He need to know. She was acting strange and he wanted to help. Tifa began taking shallow breaths, she didn't want to talk, but she needed to.

She just hope she doesn't break.

* * *

Flashback from a year ago.

Tifa groaned as she opened her eyes slowly, she winced at the sudden pain in her head and she tried to look around but there was so much pain.

"Constance...?" She croaked. She tried to move, and that's when she realized that she was tied up on the wrists.

No, tied up was an understatement. She was chained. Which was bolted on the floor, on her wrists and ankles. She tried to sit up to look at the situation.

 _Had I been kidnapped?_ She thought. She remembered the last thing that happened before she got there.

Foul smelling piece of cloth on her nose and mouth.

Chloroform, of course. Someone had indeed kidnapped her.

She tried to speak but her throat was sore. She needed to know where she was, and whoever had kidnapped her knows how strong she was, the chains that was holding her were thick and sturdy. And she's also feeling lightheaded and weak, she must have been drugged as well. She heard as noise on the dark room's entrance so she squinted her eyes as light came in from the door and she instantly recognized the room. She gasped then began struggling against her confines but it was no use.

"Who's there?!" She yelled, the person who entered the room did not speak and just shut the door. Then, he began to chuckle. Tifa knitted her eyebrows and squinted her eyes to get a better look. It was dark once again and she could not make out what the person looked like and she can see the shadowy figure approaching nearer so she tried to get out of her chains but she was too weak, or drugged for that matter.

"Who are you and what do you wan-" She didn't get to finish when she was slapped across the face. She immediately looked up and she bared her teeth in anger. "You asshole!" She yelled but she was slapped again on the other side, her head, which was thrown to the side, slowly looked up again, and she can feel her anger rising to a dangerous level. "Who. The hell. Are you." She said through gritted teeth. "Where's my husband and son?!" She asked while she shook in rage. Her kidnapper's silence was already getting on her nerves. "What have you done to my son?! WHERE IS HE?!" She felt her mouth being punched. Her head that was thrown back collided with the wall, she winced at the flash of pain on her head then she spit blood out to the side before she spoke again. "You hit like a bitch, you know that?" She said with a smirk, her kidnapper chuckled once again then Tifa spoke in gritted teeth. "Now, where's my son and husband?" She asked but she was kicked on her stomach, hard. She yelled before starting a coughing fit. She bent down to ease the pain but she was kicked again on her shoulder.

"Oh don't worry." Tifa's eyes widened and her mouth slackened when she heard her kidnapper speak. Her lips began quivering and she started struggling on her chains that it was making her ankles and wrists bleed. "He's safe. Your son." He threw another punch on her head this time to stop her movements.

"No! Stop it!"

"For now." He laughed.

"NO!"

* * *

Tifa held the side of her face with her eyes wide. She began breathing heavily and could not continue with her story, her comrades were all staring at her, too shocked to move.

"I don't think this is a good idea."Nanaki stated.

"No! You need to know." Tifa said before tears started pouring from her eyes. She immediately wiped them away but she didn't have the strength to continue. Reeve stared at her with his face full of pity.

"If you think you can continue-"

"I can." Tifa said before Cloud wrapped an arm around her, very slowly, she flinched but she didn't protest. She just hope that he'll keep his arm there the moment he knew about his little boy.

A/N: Another warning, violence will only get worse on the next chapters.


	10. Hatred

**Warning: Violence. RAPE. Death. OOC. You have been warned.**

 **Tifa's POV, the day of her escape.**

I watched as my abductor inhale that white powder on the small table a feet away from me, he threw his head back while letting out a sigh of what looked like ecstasy after that, I wanted to roll my eyes if it weren't for the severe bruises around it.

He had held me captive for months now, beaten me, starved me, mocked me. But, I didn't let him get to me, I would never ler him win. That's what I thought. That's what I was hoping for. He glanced at my direction with a sick smile on his face.

I wanted to kill him.

He started approaching me but I was weak and drugged to move, he kept me at this state for so long so I wouldn't fight back, he knew I can break free if I was in my normal state. But it had also caused other side effects like hallucinations.

"Here, have some, you little bitch." He commanded while hovering a palm in front of my face. The same white powder was in it, no way in hell I'm going to take that.

"Go away..." I said weakly. Even talking was hard for me.

"Not gonna listen, huh?" He suddenly rubbed his palm on my mouth and nose and I inhaled some of it, I wanted to scream but decided against it, it was no use anyway. My throat was already sore for the past month for trying to do just that, but the bastard completely sound proofed the room. "How's that? Feels good ain't it?"

"Shut up..."

"Hey, I wanna show you something." He said before I spat on his face. He wiped it away before he punched my face sideways three times in a row. Then he stood up to kick my head hard. "Do that again and you'll get worse than that you FUCKING WHORE! YOU HEAR ME?!" He glanced at the mark on my bare stomach, he had engraved the word 'whore in it' using a knife while I screamed on top my lungs just days before.

"I already have my worst."

"Oh really, I don't think so..." He said tauntingly before he started unbuckling his belt. I closed my eyes then looked down, it was not the first time I was raped, but it indeed made me feel like I was in hell.

Many times I had begged for death.

But it was my son that gave me the will to still live, I will not give up, I know he's waiting for me. I sighed silently when the man removed his pants and underwear completely before he harshly pulled my hair, then he threw my head on the floor that caused me pain on my temple. He grabbed my wrists then he positioned himself between my already bare lower body. He kept it that way since the first time he had raped me. I didn't bother to protest and I just yelped in pain when he suddenly penetrated me painfully without warning, then he stopped his movements to back hand me across the face to stop my screaming. He began thrusting hard into me again while he grunted loudly and it was making me sick, I tilted my head to the side to vomit, but it was painful for I hadn't eaten anything yet for the day just yet. I just cried silently, wishing for it to stop, while he slammed his pelvis against mine and it was very painful for both the insides of my vagina, my hips and inner thighs. He punched my mouth when I couldn't help another yell so I bit back another one right after it. I could taste the blood in my tongue and I knew that it was really happening and not just a long, terrible nightmare. I was torn. So torn. I wanted to die, but I couldn't.

My son, he's waiting for me.

I went to another place, a happy one, away from this hell hole, to the beach maybe, or the Gold saucer, it's been a while since I went to that place. I remembered when I was playing those arcade games while laughing to my heart's content. Or watching the chocobo race.

All with Cloud.

The man suddenly pulled out then he slammed back in making me snap back to reality and scream again, his fist landed on my gut but I managed to hold another scream in. The tears just kept flowing. He moved even faster and harder before he moaned loudly, probably nearing his release, then he held his manhood inside while groaning loudly.

"Yes, that's right little whore, make me cum." He said while I kept my mouth shut, disgusted. "Remember when I told you I have something to show you?" How dare he speak while still inside me. I released a breath of relief when he pulled out and that's when I felt the stinging pain all over my nether area. I wouldn't be surprised if it was bleeding. He stood up to put on his pants and went on his way to the desk where he was snorting cocaine earlier. He grabbed a piece of paper before he went back to my direction.

"This paper here proves just how much of a fucking whore you are. You're just a slut."

"What the hell is that...?" I asked weakly, not bothering to sit up. The floor was very comfortable for me now.

"Heard about DNA? It says here..." He scanned the paper before he looked at my direction once again. "That that little bastard upstairs... Is not my fucking son."

* * *

Tifa wasn't ready to talk. But she knew she needed to. She told her what happened during her time of captivity. And they got the shock of their lives to find out that it was her own husband that did it to her.

Her drug addicted, alcoholic, abusive husband.

Yuffie was looking down the whole story, she already knew about it from Reeve's investigation. He had found Constance's surveillance tapes and he even documented his actions by writing journal about it, the president of WRO thought that the drugs had really gotten into the man's brain for doing something so stupid. The surveillance had shown everything he had done to Tifa while she was held captive on his home basement clinic. He had all the evidence to prevent Tifa from getting a life sentence, or from being executed.

"That motherfuckin' son of a bitch did those things to you?!" Cid yelled.

Cloud was thunderstruck from hearing the story, but Tifa wasn't done.

* * *

"What...?" Tifa asked as Constance shook the DNA test results in front of her.

"Are you fucking deaf? Is says here that Bryce is not my fucking son! WHO DID YOU FUCK BEHIND MY BACK BITCH?!"

"N-No... I..."

"WHO DID YOU FUCK?!" Constance started yelling on top of his lungs before he threw the paper away to straddle Tifa, then he started strangling her with an obvious intent of killing her for good.

* * *

"What does he mean by that?" Nanaki asked, referring to what Constance said about their son. Tifa, Yuffie and Reeve closed their eyes almost at the same time, not daring to look at the silent blonde warrior.

* * *

Tifa tried to shake her body but it was no use. Her chains were long enough for her to move her arms and legs a little bit but she was too weak.

"Mummy?" Her eyes widened when she realized she heard that little voice while Constance mirrored her own. He had forgotten to lock the door and the boy curiously went in then heard his mother's voice. "Mummy?"

"No..." Tifa said weakly before Constance let go of her. He stood up before he started approaching the boy, who was finding his way through the dark. "Baby..." She whispered while she sobbed silently, she had missed that voice, her baby boy. Those blue eyes that she would do anything to catch a glimpse again.

"Daddy? Is dat hyu?"

"It's not." Constance said coldly. Before he did the unthinkable. "I never was."

A gunshot was heard.

* * *

"He's not... Your husband's son...?" Cloud finally asked after his long silence. Reeve handed him a picture of the boy from across the room and his face showed confusion, before it turned to anger as he stared at the photo of what looked like a photo of his childhood, except that spikey haired kid had brown hair, smiling happily, his own blue eyes reflecting.

He knew that instant who that boy was.

* * *

"NO! NO NO NO NO NO!" Tifa screamed on top of her lungs as she stared at the fallen body of her beloved baby boy, face down on the floor and not moving. "BRYCE! BRYCE!"

Constance showed no remorse after he killed the boy who had been his son for three years.

* * *

"No Cloud..." Tifa suddenly said before she finally faced him. Cloud stared at her in what looked like pure horror, "He wasn't..." he already knew what was coming.

"Who's the father then?" He asked, his voice firm and authorative. It scared her. She remembered how Constance would talk to her.

"...I-I..." Tifa couldn't continue.

"Who's the father?!" Cloud asked in a louder tone of voice.

"Cloud..." Yuffie tried to calm him down.

"WHO'S THE FATHER TIFA?!"

"It's you! You're the father!" Tifa yelled while sobbing. Everyone was shocked at that new revelation but it was nothing compared to what looked like hurt, rage and horror that was written all over Cloud's face.

* * *

"YOU MONSTER!" Tifa yelled before the rage she felt in her heart had managed to give her the inhuman strength she needed to get out of her confines, she pulled the chains up before it dismantled itself from the floor. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Constance was too shock to even move his hand before Tifa kicked the gun away, the chain from her ankle hit his cheek causing it to bleed. He managed to run out of the clinic but Tifa was quick to catch up with him, the next thing he knew, he was pinned on the floor near the kitchen and his face was getting beaten beyond recognition while Tifa screamed all her anguish out, tears freely falling from her face. She managed to smash his skull while blood splashed all over face, neck and hands.

* * *

"How could you..." Cloud said weakly before he raised his voice once again. "HOW COULD YOU!" Both him and Tifa were standing up, facing each other.

"I'm so sorry Cloud..." Tifa pleaded while she sobbed hard. She knelt down to beg for his forgiveness but he ignored her, Yuffie rushed to Tifa's side to pull her up.

"My son..." Cloud said before he stumbled backwards until he leaned on the wall while holding his head. "My baby..."

"I'm so sorry Cloud..." Tifa sobbed harder than ever when he lifted his face, he didn't cry, but his expression was so painful that it says everything he felt deep inside. Yuffie started crying by just looking at him. Even the others were silent.

"Sorry...?" He asked before a single tear fell from the corner of his eye to his nose. "Sorry wouldn't bring my son back. Nothing will."

"I know... I-" But she didn't get to finish when Cloud threw a chair to the wall, breaking it in pieces. Cid didn't even bother to scold the blonde of hurting his precious airship.

"You are... The most selfish person I know." Cloud finally said before he turned around to walk away.

"Cloud. Stop." Barret commanded but it was no use.

"CLOUD!" Tifa yelled but he was already walking away. She fell to her knees once again to cry louder. Yuffie and Nanaki instantly were on her side to her aid while the others watched. All were concerned about Cloud and Tifa's mental state. They were showing signs of unstable minds and this could be a big turning point.

* * *

Tifa sat on her bed while leaning on the wall, her eyes lifeless with no will to move. Reeve had told her that she would win the case, and she even have a witness, Constance's own sister will testify for her. But Tifa couldn't care less about Reeves 'good news'. She didn't have the will to live anymore. She had hurt every person she loved, her son had been murdered by the man she had married, and the person whom she had loved for a long time and still loved, the same person whom she left alone, and who genuinely loved her all along had been deeply hurt because of her actions.

Cloud never deserved any of it.

"Maybe I should burn in hell... With you." She said with a humorless smirk while thinking of Constance. She slowly slid out of bed, her mind already set on what she was supposed to do. She stood in the middle of her room for minutes, smirking. Then it grew into a smile before she started laughing. "Even in your death..." She said as she slowly as she made her way to the door. "You still haunt me..." She said as she held into the doorknob. "Maybe we are meant to be together." Then she slowly opened the door while he whole body shook. She started walking quietly towards the cockpit, she stared lifelessly at the main control panel to open the cockpit door. She pressed the button before she turned around to slowly walk towards it. She stood up at the end, not bothered if her bare feet were cold, her nightgown and short hair flowing with the cold wind.

"I guess..." She said with another lifeless smirk. "I'm no angel either." Images of her son's beautiful smile flashed through her mind which caused uncontrollable tears to suddenly fall. "I'm sorry." She whispered into the air with a sad smile.

Then she closed her eyes before her body lifelessly fell forward.


	11. Hear me out

As Tifa closed her eyes, her body fell lifelessly forward. But she didn't even reach the open air when someone pulled her backwards with their arms wrapped around her waist. She gasped before she started struggling while screaming.

"Let me go! Just let me die!" She frantically screamed but it she was being pulled backwards the more she resisted.

* * *

 **Cloud's POV**

I've never been so angry and devastated all my life. For four years I knew nothing of my son and Tifa's selfishness was the cause of it. If only she didn't run away without any explanation, we're probably one happy family by now, as happy as we can get, despite the situation of the planet. She left, not a word in years and now I found out that we had a baby who's been murdered by her pathetic excuse of a husband.

Can she really blame me?

But, when I was all alone and started thinking, maybe this was the wrong time to be mad, I just remembered the state she was in when I first found her. Skin and bones, battered and bruised, starving and very tired.

What I'm feeling right now can't even reach a fraction of what she went through.

She watched our son die while she was in chains, badly beaten and raped and humiliated.

It was stupid of me to act out, I needed to apologize and hear her out.

I hastily slid out of bed to go to her quarters, I needed to see her, I needed to talk to her. The last thing she needed right now is someone turning their back on her. I went out of my room to go to hers but I was surprised to find it empty. I frowned before I decided to look for her, maybe she was in the pantry.

"Let me go!" I heard her voice, yelling and screaming so I instantly rushed to where it was coming from. There in the cockpit, was Vincent, holding and restraining a frantic Tifa.

* * *

"What's happening?" Cloud asked as he watched with his eyes wide.

"She was going to jump to her death." Vincent said while pulling Tifa backwards, Cloud's eyes widened as what he said.

"I beg you! Please let me go!" Tifa pleaded and sobbed before she weakly fell to her knees, she hang limply on Vincent's arms while crying to her heart's content. Cloud stared at her with his face full of guilt and shock.

"What's goin' on?!" Barret, who was now awake, asked. Everyone else were behind him.

"Tifa was going to commit suicide but I stopped her." Vincent answered back while carrying a sobbing Tifa bridal style towards a chair. Yuffie gasped loudly before she rushed to her friend's side while the rest were shocked.

"WHAT?!" Cid yelled.

"How did you stop her Lad?" Cait Sith asked.

"She didn't notice me standing there in the corner when she came in here. I pulled her back when she was about to fall."

"Tifa... No..." Cloud said weakly before he glanced at the crying martial artist, Yuffie held Tifa's head and shoulders to ease her what she was feeling.

"I can't take it anymore... I can't-" Tifa has indeed had had enough. Her insecurity towards Aerith had led to events that changed her life forever and that is the thing she regretted the most, she just wanted to die and if she's lucky, she'll be joining her son in the lifestream, or if not, she'll endure hell along with her ex-husband, but she didn't care anymore.

"You guys can go." Cloud commanded while Cid closed the cockpit door. Everyone obliged to their leader's request, Yuffie reluctantly let go of Tifa before she walked past Cloud. The blonde warrior began approaching the weeping Tifa but the brunette took it the wrong way so she stood up to hold her arms up in front of her like she was protecting herself.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please."

Cloud was deeply confused about her behavior but he's starting to understand why she kept flinching on male contact. Why she suddenly protected herself.

Cloud wanted to kill Constance all over again and rip him to pieces.

When he lifted his hand to touch her face, she protected it with her hands, thinking he will slap her. But he gently placed his hand over hers to silently tell her that she's safe with him. That it's alright. He won't hurt her.

"I'm sorry..." Cloud whispered so lovingly that it stopped Tifa on her shaking and hiding. She looked up in shock to stare at his face but did not speak. Cloud wasted no time and he wrapped Tifa protectively around his arms as tight as he can.

"C-Clo-"

"Please..." He pleaded, his voice held so much emotion but he was clearly restraining himself. "Don't do that again... I beg you..."

"I-I..."

"I'll die... If I lose you again..." That's when Tifa started sobbing again then she returned the just as tight. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, just holding each other, keeping her safe. Yuffie had been listening while she hid, she smiled sadly when she felt that it was safe to leave them alone. She knew Tifa was in the right arms now.

"I'm sorry Cloud! I'm sorry!" Tifa was frantic again but Cloud was shushing her to calm her down.

"Come on... Let's get you to bed... I want..." Cloud pulled away to look into her face. "I want to know everything about... Our son..." Tifa nodded frantically while still crying. It was the least she could do for the father of her child. Cloud supported her so she could stand up and he ushered her to her quarters where they will finally talk about their little boy.

* * *

Cloud was sitting across the bed with his back against the wall, his elbows were resting on his knees while Tifa was leaning on the headboard. He pulled out the picture of Bryce that Reeve gave him from his pocket then he began staring at it.

"He looks just like you..." Tifa said with a shaky breath.

"Yeah..." Cloud responded with a sad smirk.

"You know..." Tifa said. "He's a chatterbox, he talks a lot. He likes to play with toy swords." She said and Cloud couldn't help but smile sadly. "He could walk at just eight months. He knew the alphabet when he was a year and a half. He could count up to ten when he was two." Tifa sniffed before she spoke again. "He's a very smart little boy."

"That's amazing..."

"Yeah... Since I was always locked at home with no friends, no money and no phone... I taught him all those until he mastered them." Cloud knitted his brows then glanced at Tifa, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Constance... He isolated me from the rest of the world. That's why... I couldn't reach any of you."

"That bastard. How did you meet that pathetic man?"

"I don't want to talk about him Cloud. Let's just talk about our dear boy." Cloud didn't speak but didn't protest either. "When he was born, his eyes were the brightest blue I've ever seen. And when he was a year old..." Tifa started chuckling. "His hair was starting to spike up." She said with a smile. Cloud couldn't help his own smirk, but was sad that he couldn't see all those.

"That must have been funny..."

"It was... Despite my situation... He's the only one who made me happy."

"Tifa..." Cloud said then he put the picture down on the nightstand. "Why did you leave?" He suddenly asked. Tifa was caught off guard by his question.

"I..." She looked down, ashamed. "I misunderstood. I thought... You love Aerith and not me..." She could hear Cloud sigh.

"Yuffie told me that as well."

"She did huh."

"Yeah."

"Well, did you love her...?" Tifa asked and Cloud was silent for a while. She started sweating.

"I... I thought I did. For a while." He said. Tifa already expected that. "But... I knew that something was wrong. Like... It was not my own."

"What..?"

"When my memories were retrieved in the lifestream with your help, those feelings disappeared." Tifa stared at him, completely confused.

"I don't get it..."

"Do you remember when we went to Gongana... And met Zack's parents?"

"Yeah..." Tifa started thinking. "Now that I remember... Aerith was asked by his parents if she was Zack's girlfriend... Then she ran out suddenly after denying it."

"She told me when I first met her, she had a boyfriend who was a 1st class SOLDIER. Who was exactly like me."

"You think that was Zack?"

"Yes. There's no denying it. And I was living as Zack at that time."

"Yeah... With all your stories mixed up."

"That's why I knew... Those feelings weren't mine."

"...Oh...I-"

"The one I've always loved..." He paused then searched for Tifa's eyes before he whispered huskily. "...Is you." Tifa let out a shaky breath and she felt shivers down her spine at his words. "...Do you still love me too, Tifa?" He whispered again as he got closer, very slowly. Tifa felt her breath hitch as his face was just inches away from hers. She couldn't speak, but...

She already knew the answer.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Cloud pulled away while looking up, slightly irritated. Tifa on the other hand released a sigh of relief. She was so nervous and she didn't know if she was ready to go back into Cloud's arms, for now. She didn't want him to feel like a replacement even though her love for her husband had disappeared even before all the tragedy struck. Cloud stood up to answer the door and a beaming Yuffie appeared, who suddenly looked shock.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know you were here. I just wanna give this hot chocolate to Teef." She said as she lifted a mug of the steaming drink. Tifa smiled then stood up to meet the young princess.

"Oh Yuffie... Thank you..." She said as she gently took the mug. Cloud smirked at Yuffie, who smirked back, but there was some naughtiness along with it.

"No problem! Now, I'm gonna go so you can..." Yuffie with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Shut up..." Cloud said with another smirk before he shut the door on Yuffie's face. The princess started snickering before she went back to her quarters. Tifa on the other hand had her mouth wide open before she laughed at her friend's statement. She stared at the mug before she looked up at Cloud. Then she lifted the mug and placed it on the blonde's lips, he gently took a sip of the hot and creamy liquid before he grimaced.

"Too sweet." He complained, Tifa laughed again.

"Well, it explains Yuffie a lot. Always sugar high..." She said before both of them chuckled. Tifa went over to the bed to drink her hot chocolate until it was finished while Cloud rubbed her back. She placed the mug down before she slid under the covers with Cloud making way.

"Cloud... Just..." Tifa whispered while her eyes were slowly closing, very exhausted.

"Yes?" Cloud whispered while he brushed away strands of her hair.

"...Please stay..." She whispered before she completely closed her eyes. Cloud nodded before he went inside the covers, then he slid his arms under Tifa's head before he wrapped his arm around her. He turned around slightly to get the photo of Bryce from the nightstand before he placed it on his chest, he pulled Tifa's hand so both their hands were over the photo of their precious child.

"Goodnight... Bryce." Cloud said quietly before a tear slowly escaped Tifa's eye. Then sleep finally took over them.


End file.
